Chapter 3087: The Dragon Lord Strikes
Upon entering the God level, whether using the Sundial or cultivating on one's own, the consumption of Divine Stones was like flowing water. Even Zhang Ruochen, as wealthy as he was, quickly exhausted his supply of Divine Stones.
After that, it was Yuqing who used his own Divine Qi to power the Sundial, keeping it running.
Infinite Realm gods were beings who held the title of king or venerable, transcendent above the world, their might covering the universe. For such an ancestor to go this far for a junior showed that this patriarch truly and urgently wished for Zhang Ruochen's cultivation to reach a higher level swiftly.
The Sundial could only support the cultivation of Infinite Realm gods once its artifact spirit reached that level. At that time, the Sundial's power would be no weaker than when it was wielded by Xumi Saint Monk a hundred thousand years ago.
On this day, Zhang Ruochen and Yuqing practiced the sword technique "Azure Fall Yellow Spring."
This was an Infinite-level sword dao divine ability created by Biluozi. Zhang Ruochen had already mastered the basics, reaching the third level.
If he could cultivate it to the seventh level of great completion, even without the aid of Sword Dao Essence, with his current cultivation, a single sword strike could cleave the Grand Void. If he added the Sword Dao Essence and a Divine Sword, the power would naturally be even more extraordinary.
But that was impossible!
An Infinite-level sword dao divine ability could only be cultivated to great completion by an Infinite Realm god.
Some Taixu Ancient Gods who had trained for hundreds of thousands of years might polish one or two great-completion Infinite-level divine abilities. With such trump cards, they could command wind and rain below the Infinite Realm.
Just like when Ming Jian Shen once used the Heavenly Realm divine ability "Mo Yi Divine Sword Art"—though not yet at great completion, with the boost of Sword Dao Essence and a Divine Sword, the power it unleashed was no weaker than a great-completion Infinite-level divine ability, perhaps even surpassing it.
That was why Xiu Chen had said at the time that even if a God King were present, they would have to deal with Ming Jian Shen's strike cautiously.
Azure Fall Yellow Spring was not a Heavenly Realm divine ability, but given Biluozi's former prowess, this sword technique was not much weaker than one.
It didn't take long for Zhang Ruochen to grasp a hint of the fourth level's essence. His comprehension was so high that Yuqing marveled, unable to help saying, "The long night of the sword dao might truly be coming to an end."
Zhang Ruochen said, "Both ancestors broke through to the Infinite Realm through the sword dao, long ago illuminating the night."
Speaking of this, Zhang Ruochen thought of the figure of Shangqing he had seen in the Formless Realm, and a doubt resurfaced in his mind.
He asked, "Ancestor, what exactly is the Dark Night Realm Gate? There must be some great secret hidden there, right?"
Yuqing's sleeves billowed like clouds, his arms clasped behind his back. "You came to the Sword Realm seeking the ancient Sword God Temple, didn't you?"
"That is one of my goals."
Before an Infinite Realm god, Zhang Ruochen knew he couldn't play tricks.
Seeing Zhang Ruochen's frankness, Yuqing's eyes held a hint of a smile as he nodded gently. "Every sword cultivator under heaven wants to find the legendary Sword God Temple. It lies deep within that dark and chaotic space-time beyond the Dark Night Realm Gate."
Zhang Ruochen had suspected as much, but he still felt a jolt of excitement, followed by a surge of warm emotion.
Such a earth-shattering secret—Zhang Ruochen doubted he could easily reveal it to a junior he had only recently met.
What incredible trust this was!
Zhang Ruochen quickly bowed deeply, truly feeling the weight of the title "ancestor" in his heart.
Before, he had called him ancestor more out of respect for his cultivation.
"No need for that. The Sword God Temple is no benevolent place. When the three of us brothers ventured there with peak Taixu Realm cultivation, we barely escaped with our lives. In the end, Junior Brother Shangqing was trapped there."
Yuqing's heart was filled with deep grief. Even after two hundred thousand years, it still gnawed at him.
Zhang Ruochen, however, knew that this latter warning was far more valuable than the former revelation.
Without that warning, the earlier disclosure would have been a malicious trap.
Zhang Ruochen asked in confusion, "Since Ancestor Shangqing was trapped in the Sword God Temple, after escaping, why didn't he go to the Sword Realm but instead returned to Kunlun?"
"Back then, after I and Ancestor Taiqing escaped the Sword God Temple, we stumbled upon the Sword Realm by chance. Junior Brother Shangqing didn't know of the Sword Realm's existence, so he naturally had to return the way he came, back to the Kunlun Realm."
Yuqing thought for a moment, then added, "The Sword God Temple opens once every thousand years, bringing great opportunities. Calculating the time, the next opening should be about a hundred years from now. Then, you can come with us."
"Since Ancestor Shangqing was trapped in the Sword God Temple, could it be that the one who returned to the Kunlun Realm wasn't the real him? The real him might still be trapped inside?" Zhang Ruochen wanted to voice this doubt, but then he remembered that even the Dragon Lord had confirmed that the one who died was Shangqing.
How could the Shangqing slain by Biluozi be a fake?
"We've reached the Lost Paradise Star Domain!"
The Dragon Lord spoke, his voice heavy.
A year later, the Lost Paradise had undergone earth-shaking changes. The life-bearing planets that once filled the star domain had all turned into fireballs and fragments. Many had already cooled.
The star domain was filled with chaotic divine power fluctuations, with shattered space everywhere.
The Continent of Gods had been torn into four large pieces and countless smaller ones.
On the ground, there were no living beings left. Everywhere, magma erupted, lightning flashed, and thunder roared—a scene of apocalypse.
Zhang Ruochen was no stranger to merit battles or planetary destruction, but compared to the sight before him, all that was nothing. The impact on his heart was immense.
A year ago, this place had been vibrant with life, with myriad races thriving.
Luo Ji seemed to think of the future fate of the Heavenly Beginning Civilization, her eyes reddening with emotion.
Zhang Ruochen understood more deeply why, before the war between the Hell Realm and the Heavenly Court erupted, both sides had decreed that gods could not interfere in the mortal world. If divine battles were allowed to rage unchecked, the habitable places in the universe would soon be destroyed.
"It's Feima Wang. She has absorbed enough blood energy, and her cultivation has recovered to the Infinite Realm," the Dragon Lord said.
The Dragon Lord had mentioned Feima Wang to Yuqing.
Even with Yuqing's experience and knowledge, he found it hard to believe, feeling that some fundamental truth had been shattered.
"Such a demon—how can we let her emerge and wreak havoc? Let's go, chase after her. I want to see if it's the real Feima Wang or a fake."
Yuqing's anger surged as he steered the bamboo leaf boat, shooting forward at full speed.
Long-distance travel couldn't be done at maximum speed, as it consumed too much Divine Qi.
After half a day of full-speed pursuit, Yuqing was forced to slow the bamboo leaf boat's pace.
Zhang Ruochen was curious. Since entering and leaving the Sword Realm took at least several years, why hadn't the two ancestors set up a star domain space teleportation array?
After thinking it over, he understood the reason.
An ordinary star domain space teleportation array couldn't cover such a vast distance.
If they set up multiple arrays, if one was discovered, it could lead back to the Sword Realm.
For Yuqing and Taiqing, even if it took more time to enter and leave, they had to ensure the Sword Realm's absolute secrecy.
Traveling was a lengthy affair, but when fully focused on cultivation, time passed quickly.
Just as Zhang Ruochen had refined the second Taiyi Divine Pill and his internal rule divine patterns had grown eightfold, a earth-shaking dragon roar at his ear jolted him awake.
He opened his eyes to see the Dragon Lord already flying out of the bamboo leaf boat, his body radiating golden divine light that illuminated the endless darkness. Tens of thousands of dragon shadows circled around him.
That unmatched aura caused space to boil.
He pressed his palm out from afar.
Millions of miles away, a massive golden dragon claw materialized, reaching toward the pink demon sea, crushing it and causing it to shatter continuously.
Feima Wang's long hair floated above her head like a nine-layered heavenly river. Though her face was stunningly beautiful, her killing intent soared to the heavens. She executed the Devouring Demon Great Hand Seal, clashing with the dragon claw.
"Boom!"
Demon Qi and Dragon Qi exploded like a nebula, collapsing a large area of space.
After breaking the dragon claw, a trace of blood hung at the corner of Feima Wang's mouth. She immediately fled far away. The opponent, even from millions of miles away, could unleash such a terrifying strike. In her current state, she was no match.
"Where do you think you're going?"
The Dragon Lord revealed his true form, transforming into a divine dragon, drawing the heaven and earth rules to himself as he gave chase.
Space rules seemed unable to bind him. His massive dragon body swiftly shuttled through space, disappearing and reappearing millions of miles away with each movement.
"Boom!"
Another violent clash of divine and demonic Qi erupted in the deep void, causing the temperature in space to skyrocket, becoming a hundred times hotter than magma, capable of melting all things.
Yuqing followed closely behind, his gaze cold as ice.
"Shua!"
Suddenly, the darkness vanished, and before them appeared a sky full of stars.
In the distance, the Yellow Spring Star River twinkled with countless stars.
Nearby, the Rakshasa Clan's ancestral realm hung in the sky like a jade disc.
It was as if they had been imprisoned in a sunless dungeon for years, suddenly stepping out of the prison gate into sunlight.
Zhang Ruochen and Luo Ji both showed joy. Though there were no chains on them, they felt as if they had broken free from shackles and gained freedom.
Looking ahead, the Dragon Lord and Feima Wang had torn through space, charging into the Void World. Following their chase, a spatial rift tens of millions of miles long appeared in the starry sky.
It was a shocking sight.
From Zhang Ruochen's position, it looked as if the entire universe had been split in two.
Such destructive power—without Yuqing's protection, Zhang Ruochen and Luo Ji would not have been so at ease.
"Damn it, this demon is too fast."
Yuqing held back again and again, finally sheathing his jade sword and using his abilities to hide the bamboo leaf boat.
He had come out this time to gain a deeper understanding of the current situation in the Heavenly Court and Hell Realm, and he couldn't easily reveal the secret that he was still alive. Naturally, he couldn't make a move.
After a moment, space calmed down. The Dragon Lord and Feima Wang had already fought elsewhere, their location unknown.
Zhang Ruochen showed a hint of worry. "Killing an Infinite Realm god isn't an easy task, is it?"
"Jiwang wields the Divine Dragon Sun-Moon Chaos Tower. With his cultivation, subduing a demon who has only just recovered to the Infinite Realm shouldn't be too difficult. However, this demon's speed is extraordinary—she managed to escape from Jiwang several times. Moreover, her physical body is quite peculiar. I hope it's not..."
At this point, Yuqing suddenly paused, turning to Zhang Ruochen. "Shall we go to the Heavenly Beginning Civilization now?"
Zhang Ruochen detested people who spoke only half their thoughts, but who could argue with an ancestor?
"Ancestor is going to the Heavenly Beginning Civilization?"